Miniature shooting gallery



July 28, 1925.

1,547,834 H. SMOOKLER MINIATURE SHOOTING GALLERY Filed Jan 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l ll IIIIIIIIII July 28, 1925. 1,547,834

H. SMOOKLER MINIATURE SHOOTING GALLERY File n 1924' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 28, 1925.

H. SMOOKLER MINIATURE SHOOTING GALLERY Filed Jan. '7, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 H. SMOOKLER MINIATURE SHOOTING GALLERY July 28, 1925. 1,547,834

Filed Jan, '7, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .of time.

Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MINIATURE SHOOTING GALLERY.

Application filed J'anuary 7, 1924. Serial No. 684,821.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY SMOOKLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Miniature Shooting Galleries, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to coin operated amusement devices of the class commonly found in penny arcades and more particularly to miniature shooting galleries.

An object of my invention is to provide a miniature gallery comprising a housing, a target therein and a gun or catapult mounted on the housing with a limited freedom of movement permitting it to be aimed at the target, this gun being adapted to throw a small coin or similar missile in the direction aimed. It is an object to provide automatic means which may be set by the patron previous to his firing to cause the target to move across his line of vision while 'he aims at it, thus causing success in hitting the target to be made more diflicult and therefore more alluring.

Another objectis to provide, in a series, a variety of targets which successively appear, move across the vision of the patron and disappear; Another object yet is to provide means whereby any one of the series of targets, when hit, disappears from view and stops the motion of the means for bringing the other targets successively into view. It is an object to provide resetting means for a target thus struck down which also permits the motion of the series of targets to be resumed. In the present instance, the

target resetting means is operated in conjunction with the 'means for resetting the target series moving means.

A still further object is to provide coin collecting means for concentrating and securely retaining against theft the coins or similar objects used as missiles over a period A further object is to provide a novel housing means, the interior of which is readily accessible for the sake of effecting repairs, but secure against opening without use of force except by unlocking one of the looks with which it is provided.

These and further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification and accompanying drawg in which;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the miniazure shooting gallery comprising my inven- Fig. 2 is a plan view of my invention with the cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view on line 44 of Figure 3, illustrating the manner in which the housing cover is secured to the housing from the inside thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view of the coin projecting gun used in my invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 66 of Figure 5 showing the imiversal joint bv which the gun is attached to the housing.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 5.

Fig. 8 is a corresponding view showing the plunger and associated parts of my coin projecting gun.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be noted, for the purpose of clarifying the description which follows, that my device comprlses in a general way a housing H, a coin projecting gun G mounted for limited, universal, oscillatory movement about its longitudinal axis in one end 17 of the housing H, and a series of targets T inside the housing at its opposite end so mounted upon a wheel W that but one target at a time is clearly visible through the opening18 in the screen 19 to the operator of the gun G. These main features and auxiliary means for causing movement of the wheel W and means for resetting any of the targets after struck by a missile projected from the gun G will be described in the order mentioned. 7

The housing H comprises a base 20 built integral with side falls 21 and 22 and a front end 17. A removable top is provided in the glass plate 23 and the wooden cover 24 which complement each other in completely covering the upper opening of the housing and which are securely held in place by a metal frame 25 which sheaths the upper exposed edges of the housing H. This; frame 25 is provided with novel means for being fastened to the housing from the inside thereof which comprise studs 26 provided on the inside of one end of the frame 25 so as to fit into suitable openings in the front end 17, and bolts 27, shown best in Figure 4, which pass through holes in the the opening in the housing wa vent the drawer being opened without the walls 21 and 22 and, outside of the housing H, are bent twice at right angles to form a U, as shown. The bolt forms one stem of this U, while the other stem 28 is much shorter and is adapted to be inserted, in a hole in the frame 25, after which a wing nut 29 is run down the bolt 27 against the side 21.01 22, as illustrated in Figure 4.

As the wing nuts 39 are inaccessible from tile outside except through the rear opening, i remains merely for the provision of a locked door covering this to make the housing H secure against unauthorized opening. This is provided in the loose door 30 rabbeted at 31 so as to securely fit the sides 21 and 22 and adapted to be locked in closed position by the key lock 32 from which the bolt 33 may be projected into a suitable opening provided therefor in the housing bottom 20. 1

Windows 34 are provided opposite each other in the housing sides 21 and 22 to permit visibility and illumination of the interior in addition to that secured through the glass section 23 in the top.

As a depository for coins aimed at the targets T from the gun G there is slidably provided in an opening in the housing sidefi 21 and'normallyresting upon the housing base 20, a drawer 35 which may bewithdrawn by the knob 36. A key lock 37 is also fitted to the drawer 35, the bolt of which is adapted to engage with a conti ous face of 5 21 and preuse of the key.

A mounting for the gun G is countersunk into the lower surface of an opening 38 into the housing end 17. This mounting consists of a flange 39 formed on a semi-circular bushing 40. Within the. bushing 40 is ,formed a horizontal bearing surface 41.

Pivoted to the'bushing 40 by a pin 42 for limited turning movement about a vertical axis is a yoke 43, the inner faces of whose arms are contiguous to the sides of the barrel 44 of the gun G. On its horizontal axis the gun barrel 44 is provided with pins 45 which bear in suitable and opposite openings in the arms of the yoke 43. It will thus be seen that 'the barrel 44 possesses a limited degree of freedom about both vertical and horizontal axes so as to permit sufiicient freedom for the patron of my shooting galler to aim the gun G at one of the targets T.

n the opposite side of the housing end 17 from the flange 39 is a similar flange 46., both flanges-being secured to the end by bolts 47. The flange 46 serves to limit oscillatory motion which may be given to the gun G by a patron in using the same. An opening 48 is formed in the top of the gun barrel 44 for the reception of coins which are to be projected by the gun. Arranged within the forward portion of the barrel 44.nnd to the sides of the opening 48 therein are vertically disposed, longitudinally extending partitions 49 and arranged between the lower portions thereof and a pocket 50 is a block 51 havinga curved forward edge 52 that serves as a bearing for the coin occupying the pocket the pocket 50 from rolling forwardly while,

the projecting gun is being aimed toward the tail'get.

lxtending outwardly from the pin 53 is a short arm 56 to which'is connected a relatively light spring 57, the opposite end of which is secured to a plug 58 that is seated in the forward end of the barrel 44 and which serves as a support for the partitions 49.

The means for striking and projecting the coins from the barrel 44 comprises a plun er 59 that is carried by a short sleeve 60 which is arranged fon sliding movement within the intermediate portion of the barrel 44. Projecting rearwardly from said plunger 59 is a ro l 61, the rear end of which extends through a skeleton frame 62 that is arranged in the rearportion of the barrel 44. The rod 61 is relatively slidable in relation to a vertically disposed link 63, the upper end of i which is pivoted to'the frame, as designated at 64.

Arranged on the rod 61 and interposed between the forward end of the frame 62 and the rear end of the plunger 59 is ,an

expansive coil spring 65. Secured to the end of the rod 61 and disposed to the rear .of the rear disc of the frame 62 is another disc 66 that is adapted to slide freely through the rear portion of the barrel 44. Adapted to bear against the front lower edge of said disc 66 is the rear end of a dog 67, that passes through a slot 68 in the lower portion of the rear disc of the frame 62, said dog being pivotally connected to the intermediate por-' tion of the link63. The upper, rear portion of the dog 67 is rovided with an inclined edge 69 that is a apted to bear against the bottom of a notch 68 when the dog is pulled rearwardly by. the link 63.

The forward end of the dog 67 is connected to the lower end of the link .63:'by a small retractile sprin .70. Depending from the the barrel 44 is a hollow rear portion 0 handle 71, and arranged on the under side of the barrel 44 in front of this hollow. handle is a slotted guide 72 that receives the upper portion of a trigger 73. The rear, lower portion of this trigger is provided with a lug 74 that bears against the lower forward end of the link 63, and said trigger is normally forced outward to its limit of movement by the expansive coil spring 75 that is arranged within the handle 71 and bears against the lug 74.

The operation of my coin projecting gun is as follows:

The patron grasps the handle 71 with his hand and with the index finger pulls the trigger 73 rearwardly against the resistance offered by the spring 75? As the trigger is thus pulled rearwardly, the, arm 63 is en gaged by the lug 74 and said arm is swung rearwardly, thereby carrying with it the dog 67, the rear end of which is in engagenient with the disc 66. This said disc 66 will be forced rearwardly, which movement is shared by the rod 61 and the plunger 59, causing the spring 65 to be. compressed against its expanding tendency.

As the dog 67 moves toward its rearward limit of movement, the inclined upper edge 69 of said dog bears against the bottom of the slot 68, with the result that, after travel- A ling a given distance, the rear end of said dog will be moved downwardly out of engagement with the disc 66 and the latter and the parts carried thereby will be forcibly projected forwardly by the expanding ten- 'dency of the spring 65. As the plunger 59 reaches its forward limit of movement, it will strike against the coin positioned in the pocket and the latter will be forcibly expelled forwardly between the partitions 49 out of the mouth 76, along the line of the projected axis of the barrel 44.

' For the purpose of aiming my projecting gun G, front and rear sights 77 and 78 respectively are provided.

In order that the coin slot 48 in the gun j G shall be accessible for the introduction of a coin therein by a patron, the glass window 79 provided for covering the opening 38 in the housing end 17 is set a slight distance into the housing H by the brackets 80.

The Wheel W which carries the targets T is mounted for rotation upon a vertical shaft 81 which is supported in suitable bearings formed on the frame 82 of a gear train and connected with said gear train in such a manner that when the master cog 83 thereof is rotated in the direction of the arrow-a, the shaft 81 and the wheel W will be rotated in the direction of the arrow 6. A fan governor 84 is provided on a shaft 85 of the gear train which revolves at a high ratio with respect to the master cog 83 when the same is placed in motion. Means for the rotation of the master'cog 83, which ,turns' freely upon a master shaft 86, is provided in the ratchet wheel 87 keyed to the shaft 86, which engages with a dog 88 provided upon the master cog 83, when the shaft 86 is turned in the direction of the arrow a.

A crank 89 is secured in any preferred manner upon the shaft 86 and to the end of the crank handle 90 is attached a tension spring 9.1 which normally tends to pull the crank handle 90 towards the opposite end of the spring, where it is suitably attached at 92 to the housing base 20. v

In Figure 3 the spring 91 is shown in its position of maximum extension. Limiting means for the action of the spring 91 upon the crank 89 is provided in a piston 93 pivotally attached to the end of the crank arm 90 by the screw 94 and slidably disposed within a sleeve 95. The sleeve 95 is connected by means of a link 96 to a stud pin 97 which passes through a suitable slot in the housing side wall 22 and is fixed .m an' end I piston 93 is telescopically slid into the sleeve until the end of said piston contacts with the end of the link 96, which is riveted within one end of the sleeve 95. This forms a stop causing immediate cessation of movement of the crank 89 in response to the tension of the spring 91. Mounted integrally with the bell crank 98 for rotation upon the stud shaft 100 is a thumb lever 101. The stopping of the crank 89causes a cessa tion of the rotationof the wheel W. When the operator desires to set the wheel W in motion again, he may do so by depressing the thumb lever 101, which will rotate the crank 98 about the stud shaft 100 so as to thrust the link 96 and the sleeve 95 connected thereto in such a direction as to tension the spring 99. Since the end of the piston 93 in the sleeve 95 was resting against the end of the link 96 prior to this motion, the piston 93 will partake of the motion of the link 96 and turn the crank 89 about the shaft 86 in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow 'a to the approximate position in which it is'shown in Figure 3.

Turning of the shaft 86 in the opposite direction of the arrow at is permitted 'by the I idling of the ratchet wheel 87 under the pawl 88, as will be understood. Upon theure 1, exposes the upper ortion of that target T opposite the opemng to any IIllS- sile fired from the projecting gun G. If the aim of the person operating the gun is successful in causing the missile'to stnke the target T before the opening 18, said it. Limiting the tilting movement of the target to the position shown at T in Figures 2 and 3 is a crank shaft 104. This crank is provided with a projecting flange 105 against which a tilted target T Wlll impinge, halting the rotation of the wheel W in the direction of the arrow 6.

When the wheel W is thus stopped, it becomes necessary to reset the tilted target in a vertical position in order for the wheel to continue rotation. Means for effecting this comprise the aforementioned crank shaft 104 mounted in bearings 106 upon a cross piece 107, transversely disposed between the housing sides 21 and 22 as shown in Figure 3, anupstanding arm 108 by which the crank shaft 104 is held in normal position through the restraint of the tension spring 109, secured at one end to the cross piece 107 and at the other end to the arm 108, and a second upstanding arm .1 10, the end of which is connected through a chain 111 to a lug 112 integrally attached to the sleeve 95. A

It will be seen, therefore, that upon de; pressingof the thumb lever 101, for the purpose of resetting the crank 89 to active position, so that the sleeve 95 is extended towards the pivoted end of the iston 93, the upstanding arm 110 will be rawn downwardly b the chain 111, which will turn the. cran shaft 104 to its position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.. This resetting motion bein quickly accomplished by the operator, 'w'

cause thetarget in tilted position to be swung to a completely upright position 102. Guides 118, preferabl formed of sheet metal, are provided on t e interior of. the housing H and so disposed in relation to the tar etsT that as they rotate with the wheelthe targets cannot accidentally be erred in tilted position except in the space fore the opening 18' in the 'screen'19. A hopper 114 preferably formed of sheet metal occupies the space, within the housing H between the screen 19 and the housing end 17 beneath the 'windows 34 and is provided with an opening 115 at the bottom thereof which is disposed above the money drawer 35, This hopper is designed for the purpose of re-- ceiving and guldin into the drawer 35 such coins fired from t e gun G which do not pass through the opening 18.

A pan 116, which is designed for the purpose of receiving and directing" into the money drawer 35 such coins as do pass through the opening 18, is disposed withinpended from and secured to a member 117 which is supported transversely between the housing sides 21 and 22 in U-shaped brackets 118, suitably secured to said sides 21 and 22 as by screws 119.

Additionalrigidity is iven to the rear of the housing H by utilizing the transverse member 117 as a compression brace between the housing sides 21 and 22, while a tension member tending to draw these sides together is provided in a strap 120 bent at right angles at the ends forming lugs 121 which fit into the brackets 122, suitably secured in any preferred manner to the housing sides 21 and 22.

From the foregoing description it .will be seen that I have provided a simple, novel and strongly constructed amusement device which will prove of great value'as part of the equipment commonly used in penny arcades, amusement palaces, etc. My improved, quickly demountable top provides for ready accessibility in case. any repairs are necessary to be made in the interior of the device, andyet the novel construction thereof securely protects the device from being entered b any other means than the locked door 30 in the rear end of the housing. i Y

Further embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to within the principle of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device comprising a housing, a target disposed therem,"a gun mounted for limited movement u on said housing and" adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a trigger operated by the marksman to dischar e the gun when desired, a motor for shifting the target while the marksman is aiming the gun at it and means controlled by the marksman to start the shifting of'the target. i

- 2. An amusement device comprising a housing, a" target disposed therein, a gunmounted for limited movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed. by themarksman, a,

trigger operated by the marksman to di char e the gun when desired, a motor for shiftlng the target while the marksman is aiming the gun at it, and means controlled by the marksmanto start the shifting of the target, a receptacle for retaining the missiles housing and adaptedto project mlssiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, means for shiftingl the target while the marksman is aiming t e gun at it, and means whereby' the shifting of the target is stopped upon its-being struck by a missile from the gun.

.4. An amusement device comprising a housing, a target disposed therein, a gun mounted for limited movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a

trigger operated by the marksman to discharge the gun when desired, a. motor for shifting the target while the marksman is aiming the gun at it, and means controlled by the marksmanto start the shiftin of the target, and means whereby the shi ting of the target is stopped upon its being struck by a missile from the glm, said last mentioned means permitting the target to disappear from view.

5.'An amusement device comprising a housing, a target disposed therein, a,gun mounted for limited movement upon said housing and adapted'to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a trigger operated by the marksman to: dis charge the gun when desired, a motor for causing shifting of thejtarget at a relatively uniform speedfwhile the operator is aiming the gun at it and means controlled by the marksman to startthe shifting of the target.

6. An amusement device comprising a housing, a target disposed therein, a gun mounted for limited movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a trigger operated by the marksman to discharge the gun when desired, a .spring motor for causing shifting of the target at a relatively uniform speed while the operator is aiming the gun at it comprising a gear train which-is connected with the target for movement therewith and which is provided with a speed governor and a spring which is adapted to operate the ear rain and means controlled by the mar sman to wind the motor and start the shifting of the target.

7. An amusement device comprising a housing, a target disposed therein, a gun mounted for limited movement u on said housing and adapted to project mlssiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, and means for causing shifting of the target at a relatively uniform speed while the operator is aiming the gun at it, said means comprising a gear train which is connected with the target for movement therewith. and

which is provided with a speed governor, a spring which is adapted to operate'the gear train, and manually operable means for energizing said spring in such a manner that the energy so bestowed will be transmitted to the gear train causing the relatively uniform movement of the target over a period of time.

8. An amusement device comprising a housing, a target" disposed thereln, a gun mounted for limited movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, means for shifting the target while the marksman v is aiming the gun at it, means whereby the shifting of the target is stopped upon its being struck by a mlssile from the gun, said last mentioned means permitting-the target to disappear from view, and manually operated means for bringing the target back into view and causing the shifting thereof to be resumed. 1

9. An amusement device comprising a.

housing, a gun mounted for movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a screen with an opening therein, a series of targets mounted upon a rotatable carrier, disposed behind said screen from the gun, so that as the carrier turns, thetargets may be consecutively presented to view' at said opening, means for -rotating the carrier. means permitting a target, struck by a missile from the gun, to disappear .from view, and means co-operable with the struck target for stopping rotation of the carrier.

10. An amusement device comprising av housing, a gun mounted for movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a screen with an opening therein, a series of targets mounted upon a rotatable carrier, disposed behind said screen from the gun, so that as the carrier turns, the targets may be consecutively presented to view at said opening, means for rotating the carrier, means permitting a target, struck'by a missile from the gun, to disappear from view, means-co-operable with the struck target for stopping rotation of the carrier, and means for concurrently returning said target to view and permitting the rotatable carrier to resume its former motion.

11. An amusement device comprising a housing, a gun mounted for movement upon. said housing'and adapted to project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a 1

screen with anopening therein, a series of targets mounted upon a rotatable carrier,

carrier, a spring adapted to operate the gear train, and means for manua y setting said spring to operate said gear train, said spring setting means including a hand lever and a connection between said lever and said spring whereby the lever is effective to set the spring in one direction of movement of the lever and permits the spring to act independently of the lever.

12. An amusement device com rising a housing, a gun mounted for movement upon said housing and adapted to project missiles v in the direction aimed by the marksman, a

screen-with an opening therein, a series of disposed behind said screen from the gun, so

targets mounted upon a rotatable carrier,

that as the carrier turns, the targets may be consecutively presented to view at said opening, meansfor rotating the carrier, meanspermitting a target, struck by a missile from the gun, to disappear from view, means cooperable with the struck target for stop-.

p ng rotation of the carrier, and guides so disposed about the rotatable carrier and in such relation to the targets mounted thereon 'as to maintain said targets in normal position against any disturbing force except when said targets are at the opening in the scren.

13. An" amusement device comprising a housing, a gun mounted for limited aiming project missiles in the direction aimed by the marksman, a trigger operated by the marksman to discharge the gun when desired, shifting targets, a spring motor to operate the targets, means to wind the motor operable by the marksman, means to start the shifting of the targets controlled by the marksman, means to regulate the speed of the shifting of the targets uncontrolled. by the marksman, means to stop the shifting of the targets when one of them is hit by the missile, and means controlled by the marksman to reset the target and start the shifting of the targets. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. I

' HARRY SMOOKLER. 

